The Monument

Independence Monument, Colorado National Monument, Fruita, Colorado

Flying into Moab from Hartford can be quite the challenge, as the Moab airport is open only at daylight, and there are not that many flights that land there. As a result, I decided to fly to Grand Junction and drive to Moab (about a 1.7 hour drive), to make sure I didn't have any plane connection issues. I had an ulterior motive in doing this, in that I wanted to be able to shoot the wonderful Colorado National Monument right outside of Grand Junction.

The first time that I visited there was in the 90s, and I took a similar photo of Independence Monument, which became a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, I wasn't into photography then, and all I had was a point and shoot camera with me. When I got back into photography, I put this place on the bucket list to shoot near sunset to recapture the memory. I had been back there several times since, but I was with non-photographer friends, and it always seemed to be in mid-day. This trip, I hoped to be able to get a great sunset shot.

When I landed in Grand Junction in the afternoon, the weather was overcast and quite gloomy. I thought that I would again miss my opportunity. As the day progressed, the weather didn't improve, but I hopped into the rental car to scout out the area for shooting at sunrise the next day. By the time I got to park, the skies started to clear to the west, and I was able to check the photo off of the list. I got lucky, as I was able to capture the dark clouds in the distance heading east, with beautiful cumulus clouds taking their place.

Arch Shadows

Delicate Arch Upper Viewpoint, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

A trip to Moab would not be complete without images of the most famous arch in Utah, Delicate Arch. Even those who have never set foot in it's home of Arches National Park have probably seen it. The arch is pictured on Utah license plates. Seeing the arch in person can be a little more challenging, especially if one wants to get a close-up view.

To stand next to it requires a 3-mile round-trip hike that takes the hiker over a trail of slickrock (not recommended in wet weather for obvious reasons) that rises almost 500 feet over 1.5 miles. It is not an overly difficult hike if you are used to high elevation (the arch is 4,800 feet above sea level). I hiked this trail with my son in 2005 in 40 miles-an-hour wind. Probably wasn't the brightest thing I have ever done, as it was blowing so hard when we got there that we couldn't even stand up.

For an easier view of the arch, there is a shorter trail that takes you pretty near to the arch, but doesn't reach the arch due to a wide canyon. Many hikers take the trail to the viewing platform that says "End of Trail",  but there are actually two ridges that are closer to it.  A few of us ended up at the first ridge, and this is where this image was taken from. The sunset light was great (the only thing better would have been some nice clouds), and it really helped cast a long shadow of the arch on the sandstone.

Another Brick in the Wall

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, Ohio

This unique display can be found in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. I grew up in the 70s and was exposed to some of the greatest rock bands of all time. Music has always been an important part of my life, and I am happy that I was able to pass it on to my son. When we were driving home from Portland, Oregon, this past September, we both agreed that a stop there was an absolute requirement. This display honors the rock band, Pink Floyd, and their song, "Another Brick in the Wall",  from their 1979 album "The Wall".

Balancing Act

Balanced Rock and Entrada Sandstone Fin, Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

I am sure that if you have viewed many photos of Arches National Park, you have come across an image of Balanced Rock. It is an amazing sandstone structure that reaches a height of about 130 feet, with the rock portion taking up the top 55 feet of the formation. This subject has been photographed countless times by visitors and photographers alike, as it is on the main road in the park and at an intersection with another road taking you to the "windows" area.

Given how often it has been photographed, I wanted to shoot it from a different angle than most, and headed toward the back right side. Another reason was to get some of the great clouds that were in the sky. Being in a desert area, cloudless blue skies are the norm, and, even though the blue sky contrasts well with the orange landscape, photographers want the clouds to add interest to their images.

I am quite pleased with the result, even though Balanced Rock looks a lot smaller than it really is from this angle (trust me, it is large). The early evening light was great and really conveyed the color of the sandstone.

The Fort

Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida Keys, Florida

Followers of my blog know that I tend to post images from different parts of the world and don't typically show images from the same trip. The exception is when I get back from a place where the scenery was terrific and the weather great, like my Moab trip. So, in order to give you a break from my Moab shots (don't worry, you will see a few more in the near future), I am taking you to the other side of the country, namely the Florida Keys.

On the westernmost seven islands (and surrounding water) of the Florida Keys, visitors find one of the more remote National Parks in the US, Dry Tortugas National Park. The park is about 70 miles west of Key West, and is only reachable by boat or small plane. The park is surrounded by coral reefs with their abundant sea life. The main centerpiece of Dry Tortugas is the unfinished fort, Fort Jefferson. The fort is huge, being the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere (although unfinished, it is still made up of over 16 million bricks). It was initially built to control piracy in the Caribbean, but was never finished due to fears that the island might not be able to support the weight that finishing the fort would require. This is a composition showing the inner courtyard and the steel lighthouse that guards the waters.

Dead Horse Reflection

Dead Horse Point State Park, Moab, Utah

My photo tour to Moab, Utah, was an exhilarating change of pace from the dreariness of winter in New England. It was desperately needed. The tour was run by my friend Jeff Clow, and I met a great group of people. Jeff runs a terrific tour and gets you in front of the right place at the right time. For information about his tours check out his website. 

I am a big fan of Utah, as I got back into photography there during a two-week shooting and hiking trip with my son in 2005. The number of unique landscapes there are not only amazing to see, but  are also great photography subjects. I sometimes get asked where my favorite place in the southwest is. That is a hard question to answer, as there are so many great choices. The easier question to answer would be:  if you had to pick one location to shoot, which one would it be? That answer is easier, and it would be this one of Dead Horse State Park. The park is a relatively small state park near Canyonlands National Park. It has one iconic attraction, where the Colorado River has created a gooseneck around some fabulous landscape. A one-trick pony (pardon the pun), but what a trick it is.

It is best shot in the sunrise hours, as the shadows and light add a depth to the scene. This composition is a tight shot of the reflection of the formation that is prominent in the Colorado River. 

Off in the Distance

Castle Valley, Colorado River Scenic Byway, Moab, Utah

Yesterday, I posted an image of sun-kissed buttes along the Colorado River Scenic Byway, When I shot it, I knew that I would be back to shoot the area again before I left Utah. How did I know that? Take one look at today's image and you will know why. This composition was directly across the road from yesterday's scene, but wasn't lit properly in the morning light. I knew that the only way that I could convey this scene properly was to shoot it in the evening, when the road would be brighter and give a more compelling leading line. That leading line helps show off the shadowed buttes and the wonderful La Sal Mountains off in the distance. The landscape along this scenic byway really conveys the look of the old west so much so that it was the background for the the filming of the John Wayne movie, Rio Grande.

 

Sun Kissed

Castle Valley, Colorado River Scenic Byway, Moab, Utah

Just back from a week-long shooting tour in the Moab, Utah, area. This was taken on the first morning along the Colorado River Scenic Byway (aka the River Road) near Castle Valley. With all of the attractions in the Moab area, visitors don't always get time to visit this great road, and it really is a shame, because it is quite beautiful. The morning was quite cold in the low-to-mid twenties, with a little wind, but  it was well worth shooting then. We were primarily shooting the Priest and the Nuns formation as well as the Castle Tower, but, when I turned around to see what was behind me, I noticed the sunrise touching the tips of the buttes.

This image was taken with the new Sony A7 that I purchased, using its panorama mode. This trip was my first extended shoot with this camera, and overall I was quite impressed with it's performance. I wasn't sure how the first full-frame mirrorless would perform, and it has a couple of things that need to be improved upon (battery life and lack of a wide-angle lens being the main issues), but it could end up being my main camera body down the road. 

Sandstone Pano

 

Moab Here I Come

Arches National Park, Utah

It has been a dreary winter since my last trip in early December. I can't remember a worse winter, and, of course, it was the first time in several years that we didn't head south in February for a couple of weeks. Not going to happen next year. I have come out of hibernation and am flying out early tomorrow for eight days on a photo tour. The destination is Utah (with a quick overnight in Grand Junction, Colorado) to visit some of my favorite areas in Moab. 

For those of you who have not been to Moab, it is very close to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Other photo-rich areas are Dead Horse State Park, Fisher Towers, and the mighty Colorado River. The scenery there is amazing, with great color contrasts of the bright oranges of the sandstone against the blue skies (hopefully with great cloud formations). Today's image is of Turret Arch, which serves as a foreground to the beautiful La Sal Mountains.   

One of the reasons that Moab is near and dear to me is that it was a trip there with my son in 2005 that re-ignited my passion for photography after a long layoff from the hobby. I will not be posting until late next week, when I get back to Connecticut. Till then, enjoy the start of Spring.

Foggy at the Falls

Artist Point, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Lower Falls, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park is such a diverse and large park that it often boggles the mind to see it's different geological wonders. I have posted a number of images of the sulphuric thermal features, and thought it was time to show what is on the other side of the park. Here we have a shot taken from Artist Point of the Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It is a popular location for tourists to visit, but I almost didn't even get out of bed for this one.

I woke up before dawn,  took a look outside, and saw that the weather was rather bad. It was extremely foggy and raining a bit. I figured that there was no way that I would be able to shoot the falls at sunrise, since there wasn't going to be one that day. I almost crawled back into bed, but, what the heck, I was up already. I headed toward the falls and could barely see the road. I was the only car in the parking lot, and as I trudged to the lookout, I realized that the lower falls was actually below the horizon line and that I could get some decent images where the fog would add some great atmosphere. As I was shooting, I heard some people talking, and thought that some other adventurous photographer had taken a gamble. Boy was I wrong. It was actually  two groups of tourists that had arrived on two buses. Goodbye peaceful shooting, but, thankfully, I was just finishing up.

Bet You Can't Say This

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Anglesey, Wales

When traveling abroad, you never know what unusual fact or place you might run into. How about stopping at a tourist center and finding out that you are in the longest-named town in the world? That is right, I am talking about Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales, located on  the Isle of Anglesey. Talk about tongue twisters. I wouldn't even know how to begin to pronounce this after the first eight letters. I had a hard enough time saying its English translation. Just to prove that I am not pulling your leg, I shot a wide-angle (no other way) of the sign with its name on it with the translation below it. Say it three times fast...

Dwarfed

Bay of Kotor, Kotor, Montenegro

There is nothing that gets my juices flowing than towering mountains. They are definitely my favorite destination whenever I start thinking of traveling. There is something spiritual about them that makes me feel at peace. With that in mind, I really wasn't expecting to see such beautiful ones when we took our first Mediterranean cruise a few years ago. One of the ports was Kotor, Montenegro, and I didn't know anything about it. Looking at the map beforehand, the bay winded from the Adriatic Sea 28 miles to a large harbor.

The map didn't prepare me for the beauty that makes up one of Europe's most beautiful natural harbors you can imagine. Towering all around the harbor were these magnificent mountains that dwarfed the water. I later found out that Montenegro was the size of Connecticut, and mountains covered over 60% of the land area. Definitely my kind of place.

Waiting for the Train

Cuyahoga Valley Railroad Station, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Brecksville, Ohio

Let's face it, when one thinks of visiting national parks, the first thought that comes to mind is usually that they need to head west. This is understandable, as there are only a handful of parks in the east, such as Acadia and Smokey Mountain. There are a few lesser-known parks that may not have the name recognition, and one such park is Cuyahoga Valley National Park just south of Cleveland, Ohio. The area started out as a a recreational area in the 1870's, and later became a National Recreation Area in 1974. It was later designated as a national park in 2000.

The park is nestled in and out of communities, and to get from one part of the park to another, you actually drive through neighborhoods. It is a quaint park, with lots of hiking trails, waterfalls, hills, and a river running through it (Cuyahoga is a Mohawk word meaning crooked river). One of it's attractions is a scenic railroad that runs through the park. We had just missed the train as we parked, but we headed to this little train station to see when the next stop was scheduled. We didn't have time to wait for the next one, but I thought it would make a good photo.

Waterton Reflections

Lower Waterton Lake, Waterton National Park, Waterton, Alberta

At the border of Montana and Alberta is a terrific little Canadian National Park that sometimes flies under the radar of travelers. This is probably due to the fact that it is adjacent to Glacier National Park. In fact, I am sure that most people have never heard of Waterton Lakes National Park, and may even be surprised that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known or unknown, it is a photographer's paradise, with the magnificent Rocky Mountains and beautiful lakes.

The biggest lake is known as Waterton Lake, and is actually two lakes that are referred to as Upper Waterton Lake and Lower Waterton Lake. The two lakes are connected by a channel. One would think that Upper Waterton Lake would be north of Lower Waterton lake, but they would be wrong. The lower lake lies fully in Alberta, while the upper lake extends south into Glacier. Regardless of the naming convention used, the lakes act as a wonderful foreground to the rugged Rockies, as can been seen in this photo of Upper Waterton Lake.

Field of Green

Driggs, Idaho

When I went to Grand Teton National Park last year, I remembered seeing an image on fellow photographer and blogger Rick Louie's website of a shot from behind the Tetons. I contacted him to see if he would be willing to give me some information so that I could visit and possibly shoot the area. Rick was kind enough to share it, and I realized that I could only get there on the day that I flew into Jackson. So after landing in late afternoon and checking into the hotel, I headed over the Teton Pass into Idaho. I grabbed a quick dinner, and began looking for Alta, where Rick had taken his photos. Of course, I got a bit lost and ended up on the outskirts of Driggs, Idaho. As I drove along this unnamed road, it ran parallel to this beautiful field of green with the Tetons in the distance. I noticed the very narrow line leading through the field and decided to stop and fire a few frames. 

The Charleston Hat Man

Church and Broad Streets, Charleston, South Carolina

When we were in Charleston, South Carolina, last April, we wanted to get a sense of the history and feel of this small southern city. To achieve that, we signed up for a horse-drawn carriage tour. This is a very quaint and enjoyable ride, where one can see the architecture and history that is prominent in the city. Of course, I had my camera with me, but it was quite the challenge to get any decent shots, especially on some of the cobblestone streets. Near the end of the tour, I spotted this mural of the Charleston Hat Man, and was able to get a decent shot of it (thank God for Content Aware that enabled me to make a light post disappear). 

Apparently, this mural was first painted on the wall in 1892 to advertise a local haberdashery. I don't think the establishment still exists but it looks like someone must maintain it. It is quite the unusual mural. If you look closely, its nose, eyes, ears and mouth are actually made of hats.

Intricate

St Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan, New York

One of my goals for 2014 is to begin to process black and white images more than I have in the past. I am a believer that some photographers see primarily in color, while others have the ability to also see in B&W. Unfortunately, I see potential images in colors and have a difficult time envisioning them in B&W. Lucky for me that sometimes a particular image has a peculiar color cast that I just can't seem to get where I want it to, and I decide to try processing it in B&W. This was definitely the case with this scene from Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. No matter what I tried, the color seemed off, and the intricate details simply did not come through as I remembered them. 

To see if I could get an impactful result, I edited as I normally do, and then took the image into OnOne Software's B&W Module of it's Perfect Suite 8. There I was able get the tones to a place where the details on this hanging sculpture popped out from the back stained glass window. I am definitely pleased with the improvement that taking the color out of the image provided.

Lord of the Flies

Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Newport, Oregon

When I took a look at my website numbers last week, it occurred to me that today's post would be my 500th since I started this blog a few years ago. When I first started, it was intended as a once in a while thing. It quickly grew to a five days a week publishing effort. I have met so many people on-line that I wouldn't have known otherwise, from fellow bloggers to faithful followers. I have thoroughly enjoyed posting my photos, as it allows me to revisit some great experiences, and hopefully gives a reader or two a place to add to their personal bucket list. 

When I was deciding what image to select for the 500th, I wanted a subject that was near and dear to my heart, and lighthouses popped into my mind. I also wanted to convey a unique experience, thus the title of the post. One of my favorite lighthouses on the Pacific coast is the Yaquina Head Light in Oregon. You have to pay to get access to it, but it was well worth it. As I parked the car, we noticed that people seemed to be scurrying around rather quickly for no apparent reason. We soon found out quickly that there were just an amazing number of flies about, and they were landing on everyone. I walked past a man who was wearing a white teeshirt whose back was literally half-black, as a result of all of the flies on it. My wife and son joined the crowd in walking swiftly to the lighthouse and quickly back to the car. But you know us photographers. I took my time to get the shots that I wanted, although I was probably moving as quickly as I could. Thank God they were not the type of flies that you find in Maine that bite. If that were the case, I might not have come back alive.

Calm Waters

Is Photography Art?

Cameron Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada

The image above is my first attempt at using Topaz Labs Simplify plug-in, which enables the photographer to create a painting-like rendition of a photo. Below is the photo before processing it with Simplify. 

Cameron Lake, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada

Coming into this year, I wanted to expand my photography by starting to learn and experiment with some new post-processing techniques, one of which was to create the occasional "painting" version of my images.

When I finished this particular image, the thought came to me to give my take on a topic that seems to appear regularly in photography circles. Is photography art? Apparently, some believe that a photo is uniquely different from a painting. There are certainly some main differences that come to mind when comparing the two.

  • Time - Photos typically capture a given scene over a very short timeframe, from fractions of a second to several minutes in the case of long exposure. Paintings can take days to months and even years to complete.
  • Imagination - Both mediums require this skill, and, on its surface, painting seems to require more. Photographers do not have to create a scene or subject from scratch like painters do. The painter has a totally blank canvas where he or she must imagine what the final product will look like. There are no constraints, only the painter's imagination. The photographer, on the other hand, has a subject already present to capture, but there are many constraints. They must deal with constantly changing light (after all the word photography's origin is derived from the Greek language that translated means "drawing with light"). Their imagination comes into play in figuring out how best to capture the light on the subject, it's direction, color, and shadows it casts. Their imagination comes into play on how to compose the subject, how the camera will capture the subject, and what can be added or subtracted from the image in post-processing.  The painter can create anything they want with no constraints. Want soft light? How about a tree? The painter just paints what he wants in the scene.
  • Equipment - Perhaps the biggest difference is in the equipment. A painter has brushes and paint, and must use those to create the end result. A photographer has a sophisticated piece of equipment that seems to do all of the work. I think this is the main reason that there is a debate on whether photography is an art form. Anyone can take a photo, where not everybody can paint. With the proliferation of camera phones, all you need to do push a button, pick an effect, and there you go. If that is the case, then why doesn't everyone's photos look like Ansel Adams took them? Try this, go onto some photography website like 500px.com and look at some of the work there. There are photos there that make your jaw drop that compare very easily to paintings. I know that the extraordinary ones make me wonder how they were able to create it.

I could go on and on, but here is my bottom line. Who cares whether photography is art or not? What people seem to forget is that both forms have the ability to evoke some emotion with the viewer. Both represent something that the photographer or painter personally felt and was compelled to express those feelings for others to see and feel. I know when I view a compelling painting or photo, it feels the same. I don't wonder whether it is art or not, just what it made me feel.  

I know this is a different type of post for me, and I wasn't intending to write on this subject until I sat down to write it. That being said, the photo above was taken in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is of Cameron Lake, which was quite deserted for some reason.

 

Harbor View

Newport, Rhode Island

A quick post for today to visit a New England gem, Newport, Rhode Island. Newport is not a large city, but it is known internationally for it's sailing and mansions. It is also home to the Tennis Hall of Fame. We had come down to visit in October (the summer months are quite crowded), and we stayed in a hotel just opposite Goat Island. After spending a nice afternoon and dinner on our first night there, I looked out of our window and had this view to soak in.